Berlin is the city where our Interrail journey began. Once separated by a wall and shared among a few world powers, today it welcomes people from different nationalities and backgrounds. Being in central Europe, it’s very handy if you’re considering travelling to other countries from here.

Arrival…

We flew to Berlin-Tegel airport, the closest to the city centre (around 11km away). One would think that it would be a big airport, taking into account that it’s considered the main one (there’s another airport under construction at the moment). However, we couldn’t have been more wrong.

Just after leaving the aircraft, you’re already queueing to have your passport checked. After this, you find yourself in a tiny room where people wait for their luggage. If you need to go to the toilet, there’s only one for each gender in this room. There are more outside, but you won’t leave without your luggage, will you? After waiting for a full hour, we finally got our suitcases (yay…about time). German efficiency, where are you?

Brandenburg Gate

We got a bus to go into town. It takes around half an hour and goes all the way to Alexanderplatz. You can buy your ticket at the information office or in machines outside the airport. It runs quite often, so don’t worry if you miss one. Once in Alexanderplatz, you can get other forms of public transport to go virtually anywhere.

There are plenty of things to do and visit in this historical city. Don’t forget to plan your visit well or you won’t have enough time for everything. Here are a few recommendations:

Things you should do in Berlin

1) Join a free walking tour

As we mentioned on our previous post, these tours are the perfect way to learn a lot about the city and its history within a few hours. The guides take you to the most important areas of the city and they provide plenty of information. An ugly and ordinary building might happen to be one of the Nazi headquarters back then, and you wouldn’t know that by just walking past it.

Berlin Cathedral

2) Visit the Reichstag Building

It is one of the most visited sights in Berlin, and it is seat of the German parliament (Bundestag). The access to the roof terrace and the glass dome is free, but you need to register in advance. You can book your visit here. Try not to miss this, the views of the city from the top are fantastic.

3) Spend some time walking around the Holocaust Memorial

This is something that our tour guide recommended to us. Explore this space on your own, and try to connect with the meaning of all those concrete slabs (2,711 to be exact!). It is quite shocking that such an appalling thing happened not so long ago. Please remember that it is completely forbidden to stand on the slabs. Be respectful and don’t go for that selfie you were planning to take from the top of one of them.

4) Walk along the East Side Gallery

Visiting this hipster part of Berlin is like teleporting back in time to the communist era. The buildings are very colourful and look all the same, like big blocks of concrete with windows, and you can spot industrial chimneys here and there. The street art on the famous Berlin wall is just as impressive, so we recommend taking your time to have a look at all of it. At the end of the walk there’s a square by the riverbank where some buskers play music. There’s also a bar with a terrace, perfect for sunny days.

If you feel adventurous, continue straight towards the famous Oberbaum Bridge (Oberbaumbrücke). The views of the city from the other side of the bridge are simply fantastic. If you’re a fan of Sense8, there’s a surprise for you here. There are also some pretty cool bars in the area, and even a swimming pool on the river. The perfect place to relax and unwind with a view after a long day. This was one of our favourite areas in Berlin. It’s not your typical tourist haunt, and you could perfectly spend a full day here.

Badeschiff

5) Wander along the Rhine river

The views from its bank are not to be missed. The museum buildings on the Museum Island mix themselves with the cute cafés, from where both tourists and locals enjoy the views and wave at the passing river cruises.
We loved the Hackescher Markt area, where you can get takeaway from one of the restaurants and eat it on a sunbed facing the Berlin cathedral. Enjoy your food while some buskers play the latest hits to make the moment even more special. You’ll miss the good vibes this place has after your trip!

If you’re looking for traditional German food or yummy pizzas, go to the Ampelmann restaurant. Just order, relax, and grab your food when your buzzer rings.

6) Go on a day trip to Potsdam

This historical city, once the residence of the Prussian royal family, is only 40 minutes away from Berlin by train, and is part of the Unesco World Heritage. It features some stunning palaces and gardens where some distinguished personalities like Voltaire lived for a while. We highly recommend making an advanced reservation if you are considering visiting the indoors of the rococo palaces. If you’re more of an adventurer, why not rent a bike and discover every single part of this gorgeous site?

Apart from these attractions, you could also spend days visiting some of the numerous museums present in Berlin, or partying in some of its clubs, considered to be among the best in Europe.

Is there anything we wouldn’t recommend visiting? Yes, the TV Tower (Berliner Fernsehturm). We considered ascending to the view point on the top, but after reading opinions on the Internet and talking to locals, we decided not to. The food in the restaurant is said to be just fine, and the views are nothing special. After all, the TV tower is what makes Berlin’s skyline special.

How to go from Berlin to Krakow?

If you are on Interrail and your next destination is Krakow, you need to know that there isn’t any direct train from Berlin. According to the Interrail Planner app, the best route is: Berlin (Lichtenberg) – Angermünde – Szczecin – Kraków.
If you read our previous post, you’ll already know that our train from Angermünde to Szczecin arrived +30 minutes late and we missed our night train to Kraków. We were lucky that Szczecin is a big city and the station is fine, but I don’t recommend spending the night there to anyone.

Last but not least, Berlin is said to be like an island in Germany, quite different from the rest of the country. Do not judge the whole country by just visiting its eclectic capital city. Also, try to learn some basic German, we got the impression they don’t like being addressed in English at all (nor didn’t they like our intermediate German either). Despite all this, Berlin is a must if you’re travelling around Europe so, what are you waiting for?

Interrail is, without a doubt, the best way to discover Europe within a short period of time. It allows you to travel in up to 30 countries with just a single ticket and plan your adventure as it suits you best.

We are sure you know someone who has already enjoyed this experience. If you haven’t yet and would like to know more about this Interrail thing, keep reading!

We were travelling for 3 weeks and, if we learnt something, is that no matter how well you plan your trip, there will always be things that you cannot control. But that’s the interesting part, isn’t it? Getting out of your comfort zone and learning as you travel.

Apart from an amazing life experience and many souvenirs, we also brought home some useful tips for those of you who would like to know how Interrailing works. Here they are!

15 tips to make the most out of Interrail

1) Decide which countries you’d like to visit and plan your route

We know you want to visit all of them, but let’s divide that task into small parts. Some itineraries are more popular than others, so take that into account, as seats and night trains might sell out very quickly (especially if you’re planning to travel in summer).

We started in Berlin and finished in Budapest, going through Krakow, Prague, Vienna, and Bratislava. It is one of the most popular routes, as there is a lot to be seen in these cities and they’re connected historically. Judging by what our guides explained to us during their tours in each city, we recommend to visit these cities in this exact order. It is the best way to connect the historical dots.

2) Research what is to be visited in each city

You might want to spend some extra time in a city where there are tons of things to do, and take that time off another city. In our case, we only spent a day in Bratislava, since that’s more than enough to see the main attractions (you can easily go on a day-trip from Vienna). However, we spent four days in Krakow, so we had enough time to visit the city, but also Auschwitz and the Wieliczka Salt Mines. Take into account that you’ll be continuously on the go and that’s exhausting, so give yourself time to rest too.

Some visits might need advanced reservation (palaces, exhibitions, government buildings,..), so try to book them as soon as you know your plans for each city.

Berlin Cathedral

3) Book your train tickets

Once you have decided which cities to visit and for how long, it’s time to book your train tickets. There are different options, depending on how many days you want to travel, the class you choose, and if you want to visit one country or more. Also, some trains require advanced seat reservation. Make sure you book them asap!

If you go on the official website for Interrail, you will find all the options and the price for each of them. They also have a seat reservation service, but they charge €8 per journey booked and then send you the tickets by post. If you’re running out of time or you just don’t want to be dealing with foreign train companies, use this option. Bear in mind that during high season it can take them more than a week to process your request. If on the contrary you have enough time to plan everything and book your tickets yourself, you’ll save money in the end.

First class or second class? This is the question. We read different blogs and they recommended first class, claiming that it’s quieter and there is more room for your luggage and your legs. We ended up choosing first class, but after all we wouldn’t recommend it, at least not for our route. Most of the trains only had second class. Also, it depends on how many people you’re travelling with. There were three of us, but there weren’t 3-people compartments on first-class night trains. Our only option would have been to stay on a 4-people one, sharing it with a stranger.

Sleeper or couchette? Sleeper compartments have proper beds with sheets and a pillow, and they normally have a washbasin. Couchettes are more basic and less comfortable, but if you have a sleeping bag with you it should be ok.

3-people sleeper compartment on a night train

4) Book your accommodation

Depending on what your budget is, you might want to use CouchSurfing, or maybe stay in a hostel, Airbnb, or a hotel. We decided to stay in Airbnbs, since we wanted to get proper sleep and have access to a kitchen and a washing machine without spending too much money on it. Think that you’ll be travelling for a long time, so being able to wash your clothes at home is very handy. If this option appeals you, check our post on how to use Airbnb and get a discount when you register using our link.

5) Suitcase or backpack?

Another key question. After talking to some travellers and friends, we decided to bring a suitcase with us. We were staying in Airbnb accommodation, so we could leave our belongings there and go explore the city. The train stations are close to the city centre and there is public transport too. It’s not that you’re travelling in rural areas! The cities have pavements, so carrying your suitcase will be easy. Besides, most of you will be carrying some sort of school bag with water, snacks, maps, a camera or even a tripod, so give your back a break! Try to pack as light as possible.

6) Let your bank know you’re travelling

If you’re going to be using your card while travelling, let your bank know. Sometimes banks block your card if they notice someone is withdrawing money or paying with it in unusual locations.

7) Beware of the conversion rate offered on ATMs

They make it look official and according to European converters, but most of the time (if not always), their rate is a rip-off. We recommend declining the rate offered, and let your bank deal with the transaction from home. We ended up saving around €6 in every withdrawal.

8) Check the prices for ordinary things in each city before you travel

It will help you avoid tourist traps. Bottles of water will always be expensive, but some shops will increase their prices even more if they’re close to important monuments.

9) Find out how tipping works in each city

In some countries it’s considered rude to leave a tip, while in others you’re expected to leave at least 10% of the bill.

10) In restaurants, ask if the service is included in the price list

Some restaurants will automatically charge you 10-13% of the bill as service without letting you know in advance, specially if you’re a tourist. This should already count as a tip,there’s no need to leave extra money when you pay the bill.

The view from Prague Castle

11) Download the Interrail planner app

It’s very handy to check when trains are heading to your next destination. Some trains don’t need advanced seat reservation, so you can get on them whenever you want. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to change from one train to another, as they might be late and you could perfectly miss your next train.

One of our trains from Berlin to Poland was half an hour late, and we ended up missing our night train to Krakow. We had to wait in the train station for 6h, until the next train at 5am: a 9-hour train with no beds, no water, no food, and hot as hell. Dealing with (not gentle) employees that would only speak Polish while checking their Facebook page didn’t help us either. So, PLEASE, give yourself enough time.

12) Always carry water and snacks with you

There’s nothing worse than being thirsty or hungry and knowing that you still have a few hours left on the train.

13) Bring your essentials to make your journey easier

Think of plug adaptors, a travel pillow for those long train journeys, a power bank to charge your phone (you’ll be out most of the day), a poncho or waterproof jacket,…

14) Beware of pickpockets

This is a simple rule: the more tourists around, the more pickpockets there will be. We were fine during our trip, but some people told us they had problems with them. Keep your bag zipped and pay attention to your pockets, especially on public transport and crowded areas. If you have two cards, try to keep them separately. In case you lose one, you’d still have access to money with the second one.

15) Join a free walking tour on your first day in each destination

It will give you an idea of what the country is like, historical facts, tips on restaurants and bars, and places not to be missed during your stay. They are intense, but well worth it! You can find your tour here.

Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna

And this is it! We hope all this information will help you make the most out of your Interrailing experience. If you have any questions, feel free to send them our way. Leave us a comment here, or contact us on our social media:

“Once” the musical, a heart-breaking and gorgeous production, is best known for Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová’s rendition of “Falling Slowly”. After winning 8 Tony Awards in 2012 (including Best Musical, Best Actor, and Best Book) and performing all over the world, it is now back in Dublin for another summer. As described on its website, it truly is “a celebration of music, love, and the city that inspired it.”

Through Airbnb’s newly-launched experiences in Dublin, we were very lucky to receive the true VIP treatment in the historical Olympia Theatre.

So what is an experience?

Airbnb have recently launched their experiences, giving guests unique access into places and communities they wouldn’t usually get in a new city. This is exactly what we got and more last night. How often do you spend time with a person who is from the country that you’re visiting? How authentic is your visit?

Imagine being shown about or learning a skill from a local host. In Dublin, you can now learn how to make an Irish stew, paddle-board down the river Liffey, or soak up the sound and story of Dublin’s Music Scene.

Our “Once in a lifetime” experience added a new dimension to simply attending a musical. Who could imagine exploring backstage and meeting the crew who ensure that everything runs smoothly? Last night, we met the lovely stage manager Donna Leonard, and saw the screens, microphones, controls, scripts, and everything else that she is in charge of. We also learnt about the large number of musical instruments, as important as the fantastic cast.

The entire cast, in fact, remained on stage for the whole show, playing along to accompany the drama as the scene unfolds.

Whether you walk into the theatre from the main entrance or come from backstage, the experience is very special. Before the show even begins, you will find the cast having a “session” on stage, a different warm up that is great fun. The audience is invited to come on stage, buy a drink from the on-stage bar, and watch the cast up close as they get ready for the show. If you haven’t realised already, this is something unique, since most of the time the stage is a sacred space separated from the audience, a fourth wall.

The icing on the cake is the opportunity to go back on stage and meet the cast after the show, once the audience has left the 140-year-old theatre. This was a lovely and special addition to congratulate them on their outstanding performance.

We had the chance to take a picture with the whole cast!

If you would like a discount voucher for this show (to be used in the theatre’s box office), like our Facebook Page and send us a DM.

As we recently announced on our social media, our friend Ana was travelling in India for a month recently, and decided to write about it. This first chapter is about how she felt after landing and her experience in Chennai. Feeling curious? Just keep reading…

“I could have never imagined that on November, 10th last year, I would shout: “I’m going to India!”. That day I booked my plane tickets to Chennai, the capital of the Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

My friend Nani had been living in Chennai for a year. I decided to visit her and travel around the country together during her last month in India. On one hand, I was very excited because it was the first time I was travelling outside Europe. I was going to have the opportunity to know a very different culture. Also, as a social and cultural anthropologist, I assumed I’d get a surprising cultural, social, and personal enrichment. On the other hand, I couldn’t help worrying about the unknown. Yes, I had read about India, but being there taking part in their lives, their customs, and their way of being and living would be totally new. And it was much more than that.

First of all, you should make a list with all the important things you have to check before the trip. Basically, vaccines, visa, and information about the weather and the appropriate clothes for each city. For two reasons:

Weather can vary significantly from south to north. Remember, although on a map you might not notice it, India is huge. In the south, it was around 30ºC in January, but only 10ºC in the north.

It’s a conservative country, so women should pay attention to what they wear, especially when visiting temples and so on.

The night before my departure I was enthusiastic. All my fears and worries were gone. I was looking forward to being there and starting this journey.

Landing in Chennai

I landed in Chennai airport with no battery on my phone after nearly 20 hours of flights. I had to queue for a long time in order to pass through security controls, and then I ran to collect my luggage. You can make good money exchange inside the airport, if you have patience and time. I was already running behind time, since Nani had already been waiting for me outside for half an hour. In the end, I could change some money just before leaving the airport, where there was nobody. The exchange rate was not good, so I recommend you to come with the change from your country or do it inside the airport.

I didn’t realise that I was actually in India. I had to collect my luggage, exchange money, and go out to meet Nani. The well-known jetlag wasn’t helping me at all.

My friend had already warned me about the taxi drivers at the exit doors. They almost harass you to make sure that you choose them. It is more expensive to hire an Uber or a taxi at the front doors, unless you’re a good haggler. If not, it is best to go out on the road and catch one from there. Nani’s instructions were clear: do not listen to them, just walk and look for me. When I left the airport there was an endless line of men waiting to be hired. At the end of that line was Nani jumping and screaming my name like crazy.

We hired an Uber. My friend had an Indian number, which makes using the app much easier. It was on the Uber when I realised I was there with her, in another part of the world. I started to look around and stared at the huge cloud of contamination. I could feel the sticky and hot atmosphere.

First impressions…

In Chennai, the first thing you’ll notice is that traffic is chaotic. There are no pedestrian crossings or traffic lights. However, what is chaotic for us makes total sense for them, as long as they beep their horns properly. The Uber left us in Olympia Opaline Navalur where Nani used to live. Here, enormous blocks of buildings contrast with the rest of the low-rise houses.

The second thing you’ll notice is that they shake their head to say yes or no or maybe, depending on the context. When I asked Nani a question she shook her head to say yes. I had to ask her again thinking she hadn’t answered to me. “What are you trying to say with that tic?” She started laughing and explained it to me. Two weeks later, I was shaking my head like a local.

After several days in Chennai, I had already met some colleagues of Nani’s. I always asked them the same questions: “For how long have you been living in India?” and “Why India?” Even I asked myself “What I am doing here?” Not in a philosophical way, just because I was going to spend a month in a country which at first sight seemed noisy, sloppy, and where you feel constantly observed. You are “the other”, “the exotic one”, and they are surprised to see you in their country. Your only option is to get used to it and enjoy the experience.

Tamil Nadu seems to be more conservative when it comes to culture, tradition, language, clothing and everything that includes belonging to an ethnic group. It looks like they hold strong traditional values in public, but then you’ll discover that everyone acts under their own rules. It’s the same in most western societies, so the contrasts and the hypocrisy did not surprise me. It seems silly but what surprised me the most was that women dress with saree, the traditional dress for women, and men have more options. There are exceptions, of course. This refers to Chennai, in the north I saw different styles of sarees and kurtis (kurtas for men).

Nani and a friend wearing traditional sarees

At this point you may be wondering where the cows are. They are everywhere: on the road, in the street, in front of your house door…even in the seashore. They are part of the population, like dogs and cats (and rats and mosquitos).

NYE in Chennai

I was lucky to spend New Year’s Eve in Chennai; in Tamil Nadu they celebrate it on a different day. My new friend, Alejandra, together with some other new friends, rented a house to have a big party. Mandalic Masala was the name of the party. According to Alejandra, mandalic because of the Buddhist art related to mandalas and masala because of the food. A house full of people from all over the world: Colombia, Togo, Senegal, Germany, France, Nepal, Egypt, Russia, Spain, different parts of India,…

That day I experienced how Indians drive, when my new friend Surender took us to the party. “Nani, where is the seat belt?” “There’s no seat belt”. “What?” I was speaking in Spanish so he couldn’t understand my concerns. It felt like a fairground ride. Actually, it was funny. I also experienced how Indians party. I can’t remember much more about that night, you know what I mean, it was just a night full of magic.

Public transport rules

The first time I went out around Nani’s neighbourhood was when I went to buy a sleeping-bag. I recommend you to get one, it might be handy when staying in hostels. I went to Decathlon with my new friend Deborah and it was my first time on an urban bus from God knows when (yes, that old!). Women must stay on the left, men on the right. They have a strict rule about it, since they think they can prevent some problems this way. You can buy a ticket inside the bus. The ticket inspector is sat down, or he walks along the bus and controls who gets on and off. I keep the tickets because I think they are pretty amazing.

Thyagaraya Nagar

One day I went with Nani and Eder to Thyagaraya Nagar, also known as T. Nagar. It is a neighbourhood in Chennai, considered the biggest shopping district in India. It took us less than an hour to get there by car, but 2,5h to come back by bus.

You can see in the photos the main street full of people and full of stores. And this is just a part of it. Some of the people stare at you, some just smile (mostly young women). Many others try to sell you everything they can because, of course, you’re a tourist. Behind us you can see part of a bus.

Getting ready for the big journey

After a few days, our trip started. It is difficult to buy train or bus tickets being a foreigner. You have to register to get a user and a password, and then wait for a confirmation. It can take days to receive it, or maybe you’ll never get it. For the first journeys, we didn’t need to do anything because we travelled with two Indian friends, Lokesh and Melwyn. They were in charge of buying the tickets and making the reservations. We bought the return flight through MakeMyTrip.

To travel in the north, having not much time to see all the cities we wanted to visit, we decided to hire a travel agency in Delhi. It has its pros and cons. This agency works in a very special way, and veeery slow. We were in contact with the agency every day but sometimes we panicked, as we didn’t know if the services we had paid for were 100% good and trustworthy. We had some problems of communication. However, everything went pretty well and like Nani and I said all the time: shanti, shanti (inner peace). This refers to a deliberate state of psychological or spiritual calm despite the potential presence of stressors.”

To be continued…

Travelling has never been as easy as it is nowadays. There are low-cost airlines that make flying accessible to everyone, websites like Kayak or Skyscanner to help us find the cheapest flight, and a well varied range of accommodation options, from Couchsurfing to five-star hotels.

If we watch the news or read the newspapers, there is a company that has been on the spotlight recently: Airbnb. Airbnb is an American start-up that was founded in 2008 by Brian Chesky (CEO and Head of Community), Joe Gebbia (CPO), and Nathan Blecharczyk (Chief Strategy Officer). What started as a way to earn some money to pay for rent during their student days has turned into a home sharing and vacation rental business worth $31bn.

Last weekend we had the chance to attend Oscailte 2017, an event organised by Airbnb in their warehouse office, located in the Grand Canal Docks in Dublin. It brings together people from all over Ireland to discuss about the latest updates from the company and share ideas and concerns with one another. We attended different keynotes by senior managers of Airbnb and members of Fáilte Ireland, and participated in several breakouts regarding trust and safety, new features and tools, how to make perfect floral arrangements for your house, etc.

The keynotes were full of interesting facts about how people are travelling nowadays. Did you know that there are more than 3 million hosts, in 65,000 cities, in 191 countries, and that they have hosted more than 160 million guests since the company was founded? If we look at Ireland, the country received almost 900,000 guests last year, with more than 400,000 only in Dublin. Amazing, isn’t it?

Brendan Courtney, Irish TV presenter and fashion designer

Donna Boyer, Director of Product at Airbnb

Anna Steel, Trust & Safety Ops. Manager at Airbnb

After this day, and being avid users of Airbnb, we thought it would be a great idea to put together some tips for people that would like to stay in Airbnb accommodation, or that already do and would like to know more about it.

Top tips to be the perfect Airbnb guest

1) Fill in your profile

Your profile is to your host what a cover letter is to the company you want to work for. Introduce yourself, write about your hobbies, why you love travelling,…Don’t forget to upload at least one picture where your face is clearly visible. Avoid those pictures taken from 3 miles away. If you upload a group photo, make sure it is clear who you are.

2) Get your profile verified

Adding your e-mail and your Facebook accounts is fine. However, your hosts will feel safer if you add your ID/passport to prove that you are the person in the pictures. Don’t worry, only Airbnb has access to it.

3) Read your host’s profile thoroughly

You want to know which features their accommodation includes, their accepted times for checking in/out, as well as their house rules. Some places might not have a TV or WiFi, and this could impact your trip.

4) Read your host’s reviews

Reviews are very important, as they give you a clear idea of how the experience for previous guests was and how they felt after checking out. If you want to guarantee the best stay, try staying with a SuperHost. These hosts have not cancelled a booking during the last twelve months. They have also been rated with 5/5 stars by at least 80% of their guests.

5) Elaborate the text in your request

Some hosts have the “immediate booking” option on, but others will read your request before accepting it and will want to know a bit about you. Introduce yourself and tell them why you would like to stay with them.

6) Include your check in/out times in your requests

Remember that you are not staying in a hotel with a 24/7 reception. Some hosts might not be available to check you in at midnight or feel comfortable knowing that you are checking out early in the morning, especially if they are working that day. Some places will have safes with a code where you can get the key from to check in and then leave it there when you are leaving. Double check this with your host.

7) Be careful with the copy&paste approach

Sending the same message to several hosts is not ideal. If for some reason you have to, make sure you change the name to the correspondent host. Avoid saying “Hi Peter” if your host’s name is David.

8) NEVER make payments outside the Airbnb platform

If you contact your host through Airbnb but then decide to pay them by cash or bank transfer, you will NOT be covered by the company should any problem arise. There have been several cases of scams because of this. Only process your payments through the Airbnb website.

9) Leave a review for your host

Tell them what you liked about their place or how they could improve the experience they offer. There is a section of your review that is private and only your host will read. Future guests will rely on these reviews, so take the time to write yours.

Interested in giving Airbnb a try but don’t have an account yet? Register using our link and get a discount on your first booking! Click here.